Make a plant adaptation landscape
Use the research and design required to make this garden part of your class’s wider scientific discussion on habitat and evolution.
Learning objectives:
- Recognise that living things have changed over time and fossils provide evidence of this
- Learn how plants adapt to their habitat through modification of plant parts
- Describe how adaptation leads to evolution
Curriculum links:
- Science: Learn about plant adaptations, habitats, and evolution through hands-on research and design
- Geography: Explore climate zones, biomes, and how geography influences plant and animal life
- Art & Design Technology: Create models and landscapes representing plant adaptations and habitats
Key vocabulary
Step by step
- Choose a habitat for the group or class to study. This should encompass physical geography such as climate zones, vegetation belts and biomes. Examples include desert, grassland, tundra, tropical rainforest, temperate rainforest, Taiga (boreal) forest and water (aquatic) plants
- Each group should research one habitat and its living inhabitants by looking in the school library and searching online resources. When there is enough information to present four plants and four animals which live in that habitat, pupils can tell others about how these living organisms are adapted for a particular environment
- Over a period of time look for items that will contribute to an adaptation garden (with a certain habitat in mind). This should include real plants such as cacti or pond weed and models of animals or insects. Sculpt the gravel, sand, soil or stones to represent the geography of that habitat and its features. Any fossils will be a useful addition at this point and remember that coal is derived from ancient plants
- Use this adaptation garden as a springboard for discussion into evolution. Pupils can learn about evolution, how plant and animal populations are constantly under threat and so evolve and adapt to new environments
Hints and tips
- Remember to link this project with famous scientists such as Mary Anning, Alfred Wallace and Charles Darwin
- Start collecting materials such as rocks, fossils, model dinosaurs and plants before the project begins